Typewriting machine



Dec. 13, 1932. B. .1. DOWD TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed April 16, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet Dec. 13, 1932. B. J. DQWD 1,390,564

TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed April 16, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Bernard JZowaZ Patented Dec. 13, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BERNARD J'. DOWD, OF WEST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO ROYAL TYPE- WRITER COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK TYPEWRITING MACHINE Application filed April 16,

The invention relates generally to typewriters, particularly those of the portable type, and has for its object to provide certain new and useful improvements in the mask structure which is employed to encase portions of the machine for enhancing the beauty of the machine and for protecting parts thereof from excessive dust accumulation. An example of this type of mask is illustrated in my previous Patent 1,845,402 issued February 16, 1932.

Masks of the type referred to commonly employ covers or cover portions designed to mask and protect the ribbon spools and adjacent upper portions of the typewriter mechanisms, and these cover elements are displaceable for rendering the mechanisms which they cover accessible. In order to accomplish the purposes for which they are designed these cover elements must overhang the edges of the typewriter frame or mask body side walls.

It is a common habit among typists and typewriter mechanics, when lifting a machine, to grasp it by engagement of the finger tips under the overhanging edges of the mask cover elements, and it will be obvious that such engagement will cause displace ment of the cover elements without transmittal of any lifting effort to the typewriter proper, or displacement after partial lifting of the typewriter with the result that the machine is dropped and oftentimes damaged.

The present invention has for its purpose the remedying of the problem outlined above and in its detailed nature resides in the provision in a typewriter mask of a guard flange or ledge so positioned with relation to the edges of the displaceable cover elements as to be engageable by the finger tips of a person attempting to lift the typewriter and adapted for supporting the whole of the lifting load, thus protecting the cover elements from displacing finger engagement and assuring against inadvertent displacement of the cover elements and the possible resultant dropping of the typewriter.

The details of embodiment of the invention will be more fully comprehended after a study of the detailed description, which 1932. Serial No. 605,734.

is to follow, and the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mask embodying my invention, a hinged cover element being shown in inormal position in full lines arid in displaced condition in dotted mes,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front elevation, parts being shown in section,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of one end of the mask with the cover element displaced,

Figure 4 is a detail cross section taken on the line 4-4: on Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view illustrating the guard flange and the reinforcing flange which cooperates therewith.

In this disclosure the invention is shown embodied in a typewriter mask which includes end plates A, a front plate B, a rear portion C, a key lever guard D, wing segments E, and a displaceable cover element F. The invention having for its object to provide means to prevent displacement of the cover element when the typewriter is being lifted, the details of construction of the parts just mentioned are of minor importance except in so far as they contribute toward the safety feature referred to.

Each end plate A includes a body or wall portion 5, preferably of sheet metal. which is pressed outwardly to simulate side corner column walls 6 and inwardly to present column walls 7 Each plate also includes an inwardly directed rear flange 8 which determines the rear limit of the upper portion of the wall body where it dips to accommodate typewriter carriage movement, and an out-' wardly directed horizontally disposed guard flange 9. It will be observed that each end plate thus presents simulated corner columns and an intervening setback wall. and that the guard flange 9 projects into the space provided by the setback condition of said wall. See Fi ures 2 and 3.

A stiffener flange 10. bent to provide upper and lower reversely directed stiffener flanges, is welded or otherwise secured to each end plate A with the upper flange thereof di-' rected outwardly and overlying the guard flange 9 thereof. The rpose of the guard flange 9 and the stiffener -or reinforcing flange 10 will become apparent as the description progresses. 1

The mask wing segments E include body wings 11 which are bolt secured as at 12 to the end plate flange 8, said bolts also serving to secure to said flanges and wings hinge members 13 which cooperate with like hinge members 14 welded or otherwise secured to the cover element F and pintles 15 in forming hinge connections between said cover element and the mask end plates A.

The cover element F includes spaced body portions 16 each including a pressed spool cover portion 17, and the portions 16 are connected by a front cross bar 18. The cover element thus constructed includes edges which overhang the edges of the mask body proper and terminate in depending flanges 19 extending the full length of the front and sides of the mask and a short distance across the back at each end of said mask. See Figures 2 and 4.

Cover element displacement limiting links 20 are pivoted as at 21 to the stiffener flange 10 and the end walls 5 adjacent the guard flanges 9 and include stop heads 22 which operate in slotted brackets 23 welded or otherwise secured to the under face of the cover element F.

Adjacent each end thereof the front plate B is equipped with a bracket 24 having spaced ears which serve to support coil springs 25 with whichkeeper hooks 26 depending from the cover element F engage and which cooperate with said hooks in yieldably holding the cover element in its normal position illustrated in full lines in Figure 1 of the drawings. The front plate B is also equipped with stop fingers 27 which position the cover element when normally disposed as illustrated in Figure 1.

In lifting masked typewriters it is the common practice of mechanics and typists to grasp the overhanging edges of the cover portion and since the cover elements are usually displaceable, being hinge mounted or retained by friction connections alone, such engagement with the cover element usually results 'in the displacement of said element without lifting the typewriter or displacement after partial lifting of the typewriter with resultant dropping and damaging of this delicate mechanism.

\Vhen the typewriter is equipped with a mask of the type disclosed herein a person attempting to lift the typewriter as above outlined would engage the guard flange 9, protected and strengthened by the stiffener flange 10 (see Figure 2) and the entire lifting load would be directed to said flange and the cover element would be entirely relieved of all engagement such as could serve to undesirably displace said element.

It will be noted also that by reason of the fact that the cover displacement limiting equipments 20 are connected to the end plates through the reinforcing flanges 10, the cover element will be fully capable of withstanding strains incident to frequent displacement and replacement of the cover element.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought that the novel details of construction, the manner of use and the advantages of the invention will be readily apparent tothose skilled in the art to which it relates.

I claim 1. In a typewriter mask including frame body portions, a displaceable cover element having edges overhanging the edges of the body portions, and guard elements supported on the body portions adjacent the overhanging edges for guarding said edges from finger engagement by a person seeking to lift the typewriter and preventing displacement of said cover element during such lifting.

2. In a typewriter mask including frame body portions, 2. displaceable cover element having edge flanges overhanging the frame body portions, and guard flanges secured to the body portions and underlying the overhanging flanges for engagement by the fingers of a person seeking to lift the typewriter and preventing displacing engagement with the edge flanges during lifting of the typewriter.

3. In a sheet metal typewriter mask, end plates pressed to simulate corner columns and to formintervening setback walls, a displaceable cover element having edge flanges overhanging the columns and walls and spaced outwardly of the setback walls, and a lifting flange projecting outwardly from each setback wall to underlie the outwardly spaced overhanging flanges and preventing displacing finger engagement therewith during lifting of the typewriter.

4. In a typewriter mask including frame body portions, a displaceable cover element comprising end body ribbon spool masking portions and a front cross bar connecting the end body portions, said cover element having edge flanges overhanging the frame body portions, and guard flanges secured to the body portions and underlying the overhanging flanges for engagement by the fingers of a person seeking to lift the typewriter and preventing displacing engagement with the edge flanges during lifting of the typewriter.

5. In a typewriter mask including frame body portions, a displaceable cover element hingedly mounted upon the body portions comprising end body ribbon spool masking portions and a front cross bar connecting the end body portions, said cover element having edge flanges overhanging the frame body portions, guard flanges secured to the body portions and underlying the overhanging flanges for engagement by the fingers of a person seeking to lift the typewriter and preventing displacing engagement with the edge flanges during lifting of the typewriter, and cover elementdisplacement limiting links connected to said cover element and to said body portions adjacent the guard flanges.

6. In a sheet metal typewriter mask, end plates pressed to simulate corner columns and to form intervening setback walls, a displaceable cover element having edge flanges overhanging the columns and walls and spaced outwardly of the setback walls,.'a lifting flange bent outwardly from each setback wall to underlie the outwardly spaced overhanging flanges and preventing displacing finger engagement therewith during lifting of the typewriter. and an'angle bent flange member secured to each lifting flange and the setback wall from which it is bent to reinforce said setback wall and flange.

7 In a sheet metal typewriter mask, end plates pressed to simulate corner columns and to form intervening setback walls. a displaceable cover element having edge flanges overhanging the columns and walls and spaced outwardly of the setback walls, a lifting flange bent outwardly from each setback wall to underlie the outwardly spaced overhangi-ng flanges and preventing displacing finger engagement therewith during lifting of the typewriter. an angle bent flange member secured to each lifting flange and the setback wall from which it is bent to reinforce said setback wall and flange. means to hingedly secure the cover element to the mask. and cover element displacement limiting links connected to said cover element and to said reinforcing flange member.

8. In a sheet metal typewriter mask. end plates pressed to simulate corner columns and to form intervening setback walls. a displaceable cover element having edge flanges overhanging the columns and walls and spaced outwardly of the setback walls. a lifting flange bent outwardly from each setback wall to underlie the outwardly snacedoverhang- .ing flanges and preventing displacing fin er engagement therewith during lifting of the typewriter. an angle b nt flange member secured to each lifting flange andthe setback wall from which it is bent to reinforce said setback wall and flange. m ans to hin edly secure the cover element to the mask. resilient means to vieldablv secure the cover element in operative non-displaced position. and cover element displacement limiting links con-.

nected to said cover element and to said reinforcing flange member.

9. In a typewriter mask includin frame body portions. a displaceable cover element com rising end bodv ribbon spool maski g portions and a front cross bar connect ng the end body portions, means to hingedly conits 

